William m



(No Model.)

W. M. CONWAY.

MEANS FOR CARRYING AND CONDUCTING ELECTRIC WIRES. N0.'268,389. PatentedDec. 5, 188.2

INV EINT [DIIL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' \VILLIAM M. CONWAY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MEANS FOR CARRYING AND CONDUCTING ELECTRIC WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 268,389, dated December5, 1882.

Application filed February 9, 1882. (No model.)

ries of blocks of terra-cotta or other non-elec-- tricity-conductingmaterial, preferably cylindrical in form, havinglongitudinally extendingslots adapted for holding and isolating the wires, and means for theirconnection to form a continuous line. At points where the ends of wiresare to be united the blocks are connected by pipes having nozzles whichextend to the surface of the ground, and suitable caps or plates,whereby the said nozzles may be closed water-tight. Theseconnecting-pipes are also employed at points where the direction of anyor all the wires is to be changed, and they are fitted withdeflecting-plates having slots which correspond in general characterwith those in the blocks.

In the further description of my said in vention which follows,reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof,and in which Figure l is a partly-sectional view of the iiivention,showing the same as located below the surface of the ground. Fig, ll isa cross section on an enlarged scale, taken on the dotted linear y. Fig.III is a longitudinal section of a part of the invention, also on anenlarged scale. showingparticularlythe connecting-pipe. Fig. Vis asimilar view, showing the deflectingplate. Fig. VI represents a devicewhich is used in the threading of wires through the slotted blocks, ashereinafter described.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the views.

A A represent the blocks, which are made of terra-cotta or otherinsulating material. These blocks are preferably united in a mannersimilar to pipes-that is to say, they are provided with a bell end ormouth-piece, into which the straight end of another block may beinserted and fastened by means of packing. I do not, however, limitmyself to this mode Fig. IV is a top or plan view,.

of attaching the blocks together, as there are many other methods ofuniting them which might prove as satisfactory. The longitudinal slotsor channels in the blocks before alluded to consist of a series ofvertical leaders, at, having branches I), which terminate in recesses orpockets 0, in which the wires are held. The leaders (0 are each providedwith an entranceopening, d, through which the wires are threaded; and toprevent the end of the wire entering the leader before it shall havepassed entirely through the block or series of blocks a cap slightlysmaller than the entrance-opening is secured over it. This cap is shownsecured to the end of a piece of wire in Fig. VI of the drawings.

B is a pipe which serves to connect two blocks at a point where the endsof wires are to be united, as shown in Fig. I, or where any or all ofthe wires are to be deflected to a branch pipe, as illustrated in Fig.V. In this last-named figure the deflecting-plate before described, andwhich is denoted by O, is shown in position. The pipe B has a nozzle, D,which extends to the surface of the ground, and is covered with a lid,E. A gasket, 6, is used to form a tight joint between the lid and theupper edge of the nozzle. It will be seen that the nozzles D giveconvenient access to the wires from the surface of the ground andentirely obviate the necessity of having the blocks in two parts, withthe upper portion removable.

I claim as my invention 1. A block of terra-cotta or other similarsubstance, adapted for attachment to a similar block to form acontinuous line having a series of longitudinally extending channels,which consist of vertical leading-slots, both ends of which terminate atpoints within the cross-sectional area of the block, with lateralbranches ending in wire pockets or recesses, substantially as specified.

2. A wire conducting and isolating block provided with vertical leadersand lateral branches, and having an enlarged channel connected with saidleaders at some suitable point to form a threading or entrance opening,substantially as specified.

WM. M. CONWAY.

Witnesses WM. T. HOWARD, J onN WILLIAMs.

